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The search for a man who disappeared underwater during a diving trip Saturday is ongoing as Coast Guard and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission look for 48-year-old Shell Point resident William Glen Peel.

A Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office spokesman confirmed Coast Guard and FWC officials used a WCSO boat ramp to launch the search Saturday early afternoon.

According to Mark Wallheiser, a close friend of Peel who is communicating with the family, Peel was diving with two friends about 12 miles offshore from the mouth of the Aucilla River. Peel was known to be a relatively experienced diver.

Wallheiser said Peel was in the water for his last dive of the day when he signaled he was in distress. His two friends, without their diving gear on, got into the water to try to save him.

The current was strong Saturday early afternoon Wallheiser said and that may have played a role in Peel’s friends being unable to get him back on the boat.

“Just in the few seconds it took for his friends to try to help him, the current had taken him away from the boat,” Wallheiser said.

Planes and boats searched for Peel Sunday, more than 24 hours after his disappearance.

“They’ve got a great deal of man power out there, between FWC and Coast Guard,” Wallheiser said.